Raport Corel 15 Final Tipar.Cdr
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Building foundations 2012 for stronger communities Community foundations contribute to the for the future community foundations in transformation of local communities, so Oradea, Prahova, Bacău and Țara they can reach their development Făgărașului were also launched. potential, based on the opportunities, the resources and the ideals of their Two regional funds are also established inhabitants. They help build dynamic, based on local leadership: in Cristuru connected and supportive communities, Secuiesc, hosted by Odorheiu Secuiesc with a higher living standard. Community Foundations and in Reghin, hosted by Mureș Community Foundation. Community foundations are local organizations; they support philanthropy, The Romanian Community Foundations encourage the community spirit and offer Federation was created in 2012, as a financial support to projects from various representation platform for community areas – education, culture, environment foundation, supporting the development protection, and youth development. of philanthropy at a national level. Community foundations build funds, This report presents the framework, starting from the philanthropic interests of participants and results of a national donors, which they channel back towards support program to help develop communities as grants and scholarships. At community foundations in Romania. The the same time, they also support non- program was initiated by Association of profit organizations, initiative groups and Community Relations (ARC) and had two individuals and take leadership in building main stages so far: 2006-2008 and 2009- dialogue and cooperation platforms to 2012. address community needs or opportunities. The current stage of the program has been implemented in cooperation with The first community foundations were Romanian Environmental Partnership established in Romania five years ago in Foundation and PACT Foundation and is Cluj and Odorheiu Secuiesc. There were six supported by C.S. Mott Foundaition, Trust active community foundations at the end for Civil Society in Central and Eastern of 2011: two were established in 2010 in Europe and Romanian-American Alba and Covasna, and another two in Foundation. 2011, in Bucharest and Târgu Mureș. The community foundations from Iași and Sibiu The program benefitted from the expertise joined them in 2012, when the initiatives and participation of existing community foundations. Starting with 2012, the Romanian Federation of Community Foundations also became a strategic partner. Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction Building foundations for stronger communities 2 Community Foundations 6 Alba Community Foundation 7 Bucharest Community Foundation 8 Cluj Community Foundation 10 Covasna Community Foundation 12 Iași Community Foundation 14 Mureș Community Foundation 16 Odorheiu Secuiesc Community Foundation 17 Sibiu Community Foundation 19 Community Foundations Initiative Groups 20 Bacău 21 Oradea 21 Prahova 22 Țara Făgărașului 22 National Program for Development of Community Foundations 23 Program Partners and Supporters 25 1 Building foundations 2012 for stronger communities 8. A feeling of success can be achieved through this action and preserved when challenges and setbacks emerge. people in Romania have access 4,907,000 to a community foundation 9. The results of community work emerge (24% of the population) in a reasonable time and can be seen and felt by participants and contributors alike. awareded as grants for local 10. These results are recognized as a shared $213,031 community initatives effort. and scholarships What are those key ingredients that build How can Romanian communities activate strong roots in a community and keep it and strengthen their potential? What inspired and flexible so it can move, shake supporters of community creates a strong community? foundations' activities, mainly Below, I offer ten possible answers: and follow its ideals, so it does not become 28,000 community card users in Covasna stuck in complaints and is capable to shape and Odorheiu Secuiesc and sport 1. The community is willing and capable to its own better future? events supporters and donors invest in its own future. It is difficult for me to choose one 2. It can identify and put to use their assets: important answer out of the ten volunteers directily involved human, financial, material, knowledge. possibilities offered above; probably the reality of community building is influenced 936 through community foundations 3. Leadership/initiative for improving in local, community initiatives by all these factors together with collaboratively the local situation or of a motivated, creative and resilient leaders specific problem that may arise. who want to build a long-term grants given in community by infrastructure of support for community 205 4. Once this initiative exists, it receives community foundations continuous support for its development action and philanthropy. through locally supportive networks, I am deeply grateful that in the Romanian financial resources or promotion of the 96 scholarships awarded by community foundation movement I have community foundations initiative. the privilege of working with so many 5. The community can deal creatively and energetic, creative and motivated leaders; 8 active community foundations constructively with internal diversity and with those who want to and do build a difference. foundation for their community. 4 community foundations 6. Enough trust exists so that community initiative groups members make an initial investment into Community foundations an idea or a plan. movement in 2012 2 new community foundations 7. Community members have enough trust Together with these local leaders, in 2012 and determination to work through with alone, we have set the basis for doubling 2 regional funds in others the details of partnership, teamwork the number of communities in which this Cristuru Secuiesc and Reghin and collaboration. infrastructure for local action and 2 philanthropy exists in Romania. If at the Sibiu, while four more were progressing in Revitalization Fund - and Odorheiu beginning of the year there were six promoting the initiative, engaging local Secuiesc – Urban Volunteering Fund. community foundations, we ended the stakeholders and gathering ideas and Specific areas are also supported by year with eight community foundations resources for the development of their Covasna Community Foundation through and four more initiative groups in local community. “Be Active for Covasna”, “More than a Spot advanced stages. on the Map” or sports equipment fund. Key areas in which community At the beginning of 2012, there were six How do community foundations foundations offer grants in their community foundations: Cluj and help build their community? community include (in the order of value Odorheiu Secuiesc were four years old, of support): renovation of Alba and Covasna a little over one year, public/community spaces, education, Bucharest and Mureș were just starting Philanthropic (named) funds culture and arts, civic participation, sports, their activity. social inclusion, environment, health and A specific way in which community minorities. A very clear development in 2012 relates foundations build their local community to new community foundations. Based on are the grant-making funds. Community the success in the previous years and foundations encourage local philanthropy Community engagement increased interest from local communities, by stimulating the contributions of in raising fun we have started support for new initiative individuals and companies to causes that Another specific way of building local groups from seven communities who are important to them and to their local community is through supporting wanted to build their own foundation. community through named funds. In this community engagement in raising funds These initiative groups were then report, you will learn more about for causes that are important to them. supported to learn more from the innovative individual and family based Currently there are two highly successful experience of existing community funds created in Bucharest from a recently mechanisms used by several community foundations, and five of them successfully married couple, from a six year old girl and foundations. Swimathon has been managed to activate the local interest and from an entrepreneur. Or you might introduced by Cluj Community resources in Bacău, Oradea, Prahova, Sibiu explore the impact of several company Foundation in 2009 as a platform for and Țara Făgărașului. Iași initiative group named funds in Cluj – Electrogrup and engaging people who care about local carried a strong resource raising campaign Ursus or the grant-making part of “U Cluj” causes and NGOs to become active at the beginning of the year under the a local football team fund started in the fundraisers for these causes in the slogan 'Out of love for Iași' and previous year. successfully involved community framework of a sports event. Hundreds of supporters and finalized its building fundraisers-swimmers invite their friends process. Field-based funds to contribute to a cause based on their swimming performance. This framework At the end of 2012, two new community Issue-based funds allow multiple donors was adapted to other multi-cause events, foundations were registered in Iași and to contribute to a cause that interests including half-marathon in Sibiu and bike- them or are based on proactive a-thon in Covasna and several community fundraising efforts